Akron, Ohio, September 2012… Akron, Ohio has a long and storied history as the heart of the US tire business. In April of 2012 the city celebrated that proud heritage with the grand opening of Bridgestone Americas’ 260,000-square-foot worldwide technical center. The USD $100m research and development facility was designed by architects Harris/Day to exceed Gold LEED standards, and it shows. The building features wide, open spaces, a “living roof” with gardens and lounge areas, and plenty of natural light thanks to an abundance of glass throughout.

The showcase structure’s east and west wings intersect at a massive three-story atrium area that serves as building’s social nexus. The common space is outfitted with a large video wall, and serves as the hub of the technical center’s communications with the outside world, and with the company’s headquarters in Tennessee.

Of course, three stories of glass, while visually stunning, tends to create a less than optimal acoustical setting. As Gary Matthews of Middleburg Heights, OH-based Audio Video Interiors explains, even with a fair amount of acoustical treatment, the environment was a challenging one.

“It’s a big, open, reverberant space,” he says. “They did a great job in treating the back wall, which helps a lot, but it’s still a large, glassed-in space, with a high level of ambient noise, and intelligibility inevitably suffers.”

The architect’s vision included a desire for low-profile audio and video components, but the design was at odds with that goal. “Their original proposal was for 34 individual loudspeakers hung on walls and on ceilings throughout the area,” says Matthews. “They came to us and asked if there was anything they could do differently, because they didn’t want to see so many speakers.”

AVI’s  recommendation was for three Renkus-Heinz Iconyx steered steered arrays to cover the entire area. “So we got it down from 34 speakers, to three Iconyx ICX7 units built into the video wall, with zero visibility. And the sound coverage is far superior, with no distribution issues and no dead spots.”

With an Ashly Pêma 8×8 amplifier and signal processor already in place, AVI opted for the ICX7 passive system instead of the powered version. “We built pockets for them in the walls, and you can’t even see that they’re there,” says Matthews. A Listen Technologies assistive listening system and a pair of Shure SLX wireless mic systems completes the audio system.

“The Iconyx system was perfect for aiming the sound only at the areas we wanted to cover, and away from the walls and windows,” Matthews concludes.

###

Headquartered in Foothill Ranch, California, Renkus-Heinz, Inc. is the worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of audio operations networks, digitally steerable arrays, powered and non-powered loudspeakers, system specific electronics and fully integrated Reference Point Array systems.

Needham, MA, September 2012…  St Joseph Parish has been a part of this community for more than 100 years, beginning with a humble wooden church in 1894 and expanding its campus over the years to include a convent, elementary and middle schools, and a range of ministries. In 1966, having outgrown its existing sanctuary, the church completed construction of their current building.

The space has served them well for more than four decades, though there have always been sonic challenges. The room’s architecture provides good acoustics for the traditional choir and organ arrangements, but the sanctuary’s spoken word intelligibility left a bit to be desired.

“It’s a rectangular space with a flat ceiling and lots of right angles,” explains Zeke Zola, Install Manager at Boston Light and Sound, the company behind the design-build project. The walls are all brick and there’s minimal acoustical dampening other than carpeting in the aisles. So it’s a rather reverberant space, and they’ve always struggled with intelligibility and coverage.”

The church’s sound system had evolved in piecemeal fashion over several years, and included a distributed system along the walls that created more problems than it solved. “They had no loudspeakers at the front of the room, but three or four along the side walls, and they were not time-aligned,” says Zola. “So you were getting the sound from the front, mixed with the sounds from two or three different loudspeakers, depending on where you were sitting, and the result was just kind of unnatural and echo-y, with no real directionality.”

Boston Light & Sound’s recommendation was to replace the distributed system with two Iconyx digitally steerable column array loudspeakers from Renkus-Heinz. A single Iconyx IC16-R-II column mounted on either side of the proscenium covers the entire sanctuary. “Using the Iconyx, we can control the beam for very narrow coverage, and minimize the amount of reflected sound from the ceiling and back wall.”

The choir is picked up by wired Clock Audio mics flown overhead, while Shure wired and RF microphones cover the podium and stage. The mics feed a Symetrix 780 Automixer, connected directly to the Iconyx systems.

“The Iconyx has made all the difference in the world in this sanctuary,” Zola concludes. “Coverage is even and intelligible across the entire room, and it even cuts through their very noisy HVAC system. It’s a great solution.”

###

Headquartered in Foothill Ranch, California, Renkus-Heinz, Inc. is the worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of audio operations networks, digitally steerable arrays, powered and non-powered loudspeakers, system specific electronics and fully integrated Reference Point Array systems.

Akron, Ohio, September 2012… Akron, Ohio has a long and storied history as the heart of the US tire business. In April of 2012 the city celebrated that proud heritage with the grand opening of Bridgestone Americas’ 260,000-square-foot worldwide technical center. The USD $100m research and development facility was designed by architects Harris/Day to exceed Gold LEED standards, and it shows. The building features wide, open spaces, a “living roof” with gardens and lounge areas, and plenty of natural light thanks to an abundance of glass throughout.

The showcase structure’s east and west wings intersect at a massive three-story atrium area that serves as building’s social nexus. The common space is outfitted with a large video wall, and serves as the hub of the technical center’s communications with the outside world, and with the company’s headquarters in Tennessee.

Of course, three stories of glass, while visually stunning, tends to create a less than optimal acoustical setting. As Gary Matthews of Middleburg Heights, OH-based Audio Video Interiors explains, even with a fair amount of acoustical treatment, the environment was a challenging one.

“It’s a big, open, reverberant space,” he says. “They did a great job in treating the back wall, which helps a lot, but it’s still a large, glassed-in space, with a high level of ambient noise, and intelligibility inevitably suffers.”

The architect’s vision included a desire for low-profile audio and video components, but the design was at odds with that goal. “Their original proposal was for 34 individual loudspeakers hung on walls and on ceilings throughout the area,” says Matthews. “They came to us and asked if there was anything they could do differently, because they didn’t want to see so many speakers.”

AVI’s  recommendation was for three Renkus-Heinz Iconyx steered steered arrays to cover the entire area. “So we got it down from 34 speakers, to three Iconyx ICX7 units built into the video wall, with zero visibility. And the sound coverage is far superior, with no distribution issues and no dead spots.”

With an Ashly Pêma 8×8 amplifier and signal processor already in place, AVI opted for the ICX7 passive system instead of the powered version. “We built pockets for them in the walls, and you can’t even see that they’re there,” says Matthews. A Listen Technologies assistive listening system and a pair of Shure SLX wireless mic systems completes the audio system.

“The Iconyx system was perfect for aiming the sound only at the areas we wanted to cover, and away from the walls and windows,” Matthews concludes.

###

Headquartered in Foothill Ranch, California, Renkus-Heinz, Inc. is the worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of audio operations networks, digitally steerable arrays, powered and non-powered loudspeakers, system specific electronics and fully integrated Reference Point Array systems.

Foothill Ranch, CA and Berlin, Germany…. Renkus-Heinz and Ahnert Feistel Media Group (AFMG Technologies GmbH) have announced the restructuring of their long-standing strategic relationship, with AFMG stepping into a more prominent role.

AFMG will provide direct sales, technical support and training worldwide for their acclaimed acoustical measurement and simulation software products including EASE, EASERA and SysTune. Renkus-Heinz will continue to offer support to customers during the transition beginning on October 1, 2012. Both companies will keep working together in educational seminars, marketing of technology solutions as well as software development and other projects.

AFMG’s Berlin offices, which already provide support for Europe including Russia, the Middle East, Africa and India, will take on this role globally. On hand to cover the Americas will be Bruce Olson and Charlie Hughes from the US branch of AFMG. Additionally, AFMG representatives and distribution partners will provide local assistance as well.

“The relationship between AFMG and Renkus-Heinz goes back more than 20 years, and will continue well into the future,” remarked Renkus-Heinz President Harro Heinz. “As AFMG keeps growing, the company is ideally suited to provide the best support for their products, and we stand behind their decision to do so.”

“Renkus-Heinz has always been one of our biggest supporters,” added AFMG’s Managing Director Stefan Feistel. “The enthusiasm and professional attitude of Harro Heinz and his team  helped us get on the road in our early years for which we are deeply thankful.  Our companies will continue to have a great working relationship in future projects.”

The transition beginning October 1, 2012 will be seamless to all AFMG customers, with Renkus-Heinz continuing to provide assistance as needed, and AFMG taking on all functions effective January 1, 2013.

For full information on AFMG products, go to http://AFMG.eu

Pricing and ordering information can be found directly at http://www.afmg.eu/index.php/pricelist-en.html .

Customers in the Americas and neighboring time zones can reach AFMG´s US support at support-us@afmg.eu

Oslo, Norway, September 2012… The Sofiemyr church in Oslo is a striking modern building, with bare brick walls, a tiled floor and wooden ceiling. Light pours in from a huge stained glass window and other windows in the corners.

Lancaster, PA – September 2012…  Champagne Sunday Brunch in the Eden Courtyard at the Best Western Eden Resort & Suites has become a local area tradition, attracting patrons with an ever-changing menu that draws from the region’s finest seasonal ingredients. But while the Courtyard is known for its dining and social events, the room’s acoustics have long made it a challenge to attract speaking engagements. With its 40-foot-high glass ceiling, hard stone floor and hard walls, the room’s reverberation made intelligibility nearly non-existent.